“Lower Don Chastiye Kurgany - 2004”

     
 
In 2004 an international expedition proceeded the investigation of the Lower Don Chastyie Kurgany burial ground. The expedition comprised two groups: a group of Rostov University students (headed by Prof. V.Ye.Maksimenko) and a group of international volunteers (headed by V.V.Klyutchnikov). The international group included professionals and amateurs from Russia, the USA, and Great Britain. The expedition excavated two barrows: ¹ 12 and ¹ 20 (see map).

Mound ¹ 12 was excavated by an international group of volunteers. It was a complicated mound with a stone cover. After the cover was taken away, there was revealed a stone construction. It was found to be a Kipchaks’ (Polovtsian) era sanctuary (between 11 – 13 centuries AD). The sanctuary had been placed on top of a Sauromatian mound, 4 century BC. There were two burials in it, supposedly a male and a female.
The male burial was robbed in ancient times. Human bones were mixed with animal bones. Animal bones were mostly covered with green bronze oxide. They were supposedly first put into a bronse cauldron which was later taken by the robbers.
The female burial was partially robbed in ancient times. The robbers took away the clothes embroidered with bone and golden beads and destroyed the breast of the skeleton. The rest of the skeleton was well preserved. There were a bronze mirror, bronze bracelet and few bone and golden beads found in the burial.

PHOTOS

Mound ¹ 20 was excavated by a group of students of Rostov State University. It was an Early Bronze Age mound. The primary burial dates back to the second half of the 3 millenium BC. There were also found a number of secondary burials of catacombnaya culture (Middle Bronze Age, first part of the 2 millenium BC) and of srubnaya culture (Late Bronze Age, end of the 2 millenium BC). Some ceramic vessels, bronze knives and animal bones were found here.

PHOTOS

Pictures of the “Chastyie Kurgany – 2004” Expedition

Barrow ¹ 12. Excavations
Êóðãàí ¹ 12. The results
Everyday life of the international camp
Barrow ¹ 20

 
CHASTIYE KURGANY – 2000
CHASTIYE KURGANY – 2001
CHASTIYE KURGANY – 2002
CHASTIYE KURGANY – 2003
CHASTIYE KURGANY – 2004

Notes of Todd Morrison, doctoral student of Eurasian Archaeology at Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
 

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